Texas Hold 'Em

by Christie Craig

  “Stop!” She ran to the door. “You can’t take a shower. Did you hear me?”

  “Why not?” His voice echoed from the door.

  “You can’t get your leg wet.”

  The door swung open. He’d removed his shirt but held the sheet around his waist. His dark eyes, filled with heat and desire, met hers. A thousand butterflies stretched their wings in her stomach. She was nurse Sara, and he was her patient. She wouldn’t let him do anything that cost him more than he’d already lost.

  The sound of the shower and puffs of steam filled the small bathroom. Who knew that standing in a bathroom with someone could feel intimate, but it did. It felt good, as if she was suddenly a part of something, a part of someone’s life. Was that why her heart led her here? She was so lonely for companionship, she’d taken risks?

  “Why can’t I get it wet?”

  “It could get infected.”

  “So I’m not supposed to bathe?”

  “A spit bath. Or, I can wrap it. With cellophane and tape. For a quick shower.”

  “I need a shower,” he said.

  “I’ll get the cellophane.”

  They looked at each other again, and oddly she recalled the times she’d brought home an injured creature, a bird, or a baby squirrel, and her mom would say, “You know, Sara, eventually you have to set it free.”

  Her mom knew it always hurt her to let something go after she nursed it, and down deep Sara knew this was the same. She couldn’t keep him.

  But was it wrong to enjoy it just for a little while?

  Austin let her into the cabin and then returned to the car for the purchases. When he brought in the bags, Leah was sitting sat at the small pine table staring at nothing. He set a few of the bags on the sofa. He put cold stuff away. She never glanced at him.

  The one-room cabin, two if you counted the bathroom, wasn’t what you’d call fancy, but rustic didn’t describe it, either. The main room was divided into three areas: a full-size bed with a dresser and nightstand took over the back of the cabin, the stove and fridge with the dining table took up the center area, and then a small sofa, which made out into a bed, and a coffee table and television fronted the room. Other than the bathroom, it hadn’t been built to offer privacy. He hadn’t needed it. This wasn’t a love nest, rather his own private getaway. Only his partners had visited it.

  “I can’t believe you bugged my apartment,” she spit out.

  He put the avocados and half dozen tomatoes in a basket centering the table.

  He took a deep breath. “At the time, you’d hardly speak to me, and it felt like the only way to get information.”

  “You violated my privacy.”

  “I know. I regret it. But at the time, it didn’t feel wrong. I’m sorry. If you want to hate me for it—hate me. But remember I’m doing everything I can to help you and your brother.” He went to grab another bag.

  “I don’t hate you!”

  He turned around. She stood up. “But I’m so angry I could…”

  She grabbed a tomato from the basket and threw it. She got him in the thigh. The ripe fruit burst and tomato guts rolled down his leg.

  He looked up at her. Another tomato came hurling at him. He took that one to the head. He wiped the juice from his ear. “This is childish, but if it makes you feel better, go ahead.” He pointed a finger at her. “But you won’t have tomatoes in your salad tonight.”

  She threw another one.

  The juicy ripe fruit whizzed past him.

  “What the hell?” a voice boomed behind him.

  Dallas stood in the door. Plastered on his wide chest was a splattered tomato.

  The look on Dallas’s face almost had Austin laughing. But when he looked back at Leah, the hurt in her eyes, nothing seemed funny. She hurled another tomato at Austin.

  He waved at Dallas to leave. As Austin followed, the last tomato hit the back of his head. Knowing there were still two avocados, he shut the door.

  “Girl’s got a good arm.” Dallas wiped tomato off his shirt.

  Different emotions ran amok in Austin’s chest. He shook the bits of tomato from his hair. A noise erupted from Dallas. Laughter. He tried to disguise it. Just not enough.

  “Don’t!” Austin warned.

  Dallas wiped a palm over his face. “I thought you said she’d calmed down?”

  “She had until I told her I bugged her place.”

  “That’d have made me mad, too.” Dallas looked back at the door. “Let me talk to her.”

  “No.” Austin blocked the door. “I can handle this.”

  Dallas quirked a brow. “I saw how well you’re handling it. Someone needs to intervene.”

  “I’m not letting you read her the riot act. She has a right to be mad.”

  “I’m not going to read her any riot act.” Dallas frowned. “I told you from the beginning this wasn’t a good idea. I’m going to try to convince her not to press charges against you. I don’t want to have to visit your ass in prison.”

  “I’ll deal with it,” Austin said.

  Dallas studied him. “You’re awful protective of the little tomato thrower.”

  “I’m not… I know her better than you.”

  “And that’s why she needs to hear this from me.” He picked up his briefcase. “I’m just going to smooth things over.” Dallas hesitated. “Did you sleep with her?”

  Austin shook his head. “No.” His gut knotted when he realized it didn’t seem to matter. He didn’t think she could hate him more.

  Dallas sighed. “Thank God for small favors.”

  Austin watched Dallas step inside. “Watch out for the avocados.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  SARA RETURNED TO the bathroom with tape and plastic wrap. She motioned for Roberto to sit on the toilet. He did but tucked the sheet between his legs. She saw his boxers on the counter and her breath hitched, knowing he wore nothing under the sheet. Kneeling in front of him, she put her hand behind his calf. The warm muscle melted into her palm.

  He flinched and she looked up. “My hands cold?”

  “No.” His voice sounded deep.

  She wrapped the plastic around his leg to cover the wound. To do a proper job, she had to inch her hands up his leg.

  He caught her wrist. “I can do this.”

  “I just need to tape it.” She saw the heat in his eyes; the same she felt low in her belly.

  He nodded. She added the tape and then stood. She turned to leave, then swung around to offer him a towel, but ran right into him. He caught her by the forearms. Their eyes met and she felt the sheet puddle around her feet.

  “Oh, hell.” He pulled her against him. The kiss didn’t start slow, but it wasn’t too fast. It was perfect.

  She ran her palms up his bare back, loving the feel of his skin. The next thing she knew she was against the bathroom wall and he was pressing against her in all the right places. His hand moved under her blouse and eased up to her breast. Her nipples tightened. She moaned.

  His knee shifted between her legs.

  Suddenly he pulled back. “If you want me to stop…?”

  “No.” She tugged him back, her mouth on his.

  His hand slid between her legs. His touch through her jeans wasn’t enough.

  She heard him mutter a curse. He stopped kissing her and rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t have…” He had to catch his breath. “Protection.”

  She smiled. “I do.” She moved to the medicine cabinet and produced one foiled package. “My emergency stash.” She set it on the counter.

  He pulled her against him again. His sex, hard and ready, pressed against her. She shifted her hand down and wrapped her palm around him.

  He let out a noise, half moan, half growl. Only then did she remember. She shifted her mouth from his. “Your leg… we probably shouldn’t.”

  “I’m fine.” He ran a finger over her lips. “If you want to stop, I understand, but not because of that.”

  “Then what ar
e we waiting for?” She nipped at her bottom lip.

  He smiled. “How about a quick shower?”

  She pulled her uniform top over her head. Her hair spilled out and cascaded down her shoulders. He watched her, his eyes bright with want.

  “You are so beautiful.” He ran a finger from her chin down to her cleavage.

  She reached back to unhook her bra.

  “Let me.” His arms came around her, and when he did, he kissed her neck.

  She let her head fall back.

  Her bra fell loose. He cupped her right breast, running his fingertip over her nipple.

  She didn’t remember removing her jeans. But they were both naked and kissing outside the shower. His hands roamed her body, touching and teasing. His sex pressed against her lower abdomen. His finger came between her legs, slipped inside her cleft.

  He found her hot spot and ran his thumb over it twice. Her breath caught, and the sweetness of his touch nearly pushed her to orgasm.

  He pulled her into her shower. Not that it took effort on his part. She’d have followed him anywhere. Hot water and warm steam filled the space. He reached for a bar of soap, then turned her around facing the shower. The spray of water hit her face. She closed her eyes. His soapy palms cupped her breasts. He teased her nipples until they tingled. Slowly, his right hand lowered between her legs. His fingers worked magic. Each time he touched the sensitive nub, she almost came, and each time he’d pull away.

  Realizing he was teasing her, she turned around. “Two can play this game.” Her gaze lowered to his sex. It stood completely erect, brushing against his belly button. With one fingertip, she circled his bulging tip and saw a pearl of liquid appear.

  He moaned.

  She caught his hot hard flesh in her palm, squeezed, and then slowly palmed him, up and down.

  He caught her hand. “It’s been a while,” he growled.

  “Me, too. Two years, eight months, and four weeks, and—”

  “That long?” He laughed.

  She reached for him again.

  He pulled back. “I might explode.”

  “Then explode.” She smiled.

  He caught her hand and moved it to his chest. “Where I’m from, ladies always come first.” He led her out of the shower, snatched the condom, and took her to bed.

  The door opened. The dark-haired man who she’d pummeled with a tomato stuck his head in.

  “Can I come in?” he asked.

  She didn’t know who he was, but she guessed he was one of Austin’s friends. Friends who were behind this whole thing.

  “It’s not my cabin, so I can’t say who can or can’t come in.” She sounded like an angry child. Hell, she felt like an angry child. She’d pretty much acted like one, too. What kind of reasonable adult threw tomatoes? Maybe one who’d been deceived and had her apartment bugged. Maybe one trying to hold on to her anger so she wouldn’t have to focus on the other emotions raging inside her—like how much she’d grown to care about someone who’d only been deceiving her.

  He stepped inside. “No more fruit ninja stuff?”

  “I’m out of tomatoes.” She hadn’t meant it to be humorous, but he smiled.

  “I’m Dallas.” He pulled out a wooden chair.

  “You know who I am,” she said.

  He sat down across from her. “Yeah, I know.” He sat a briefcase on the table. “I have something I’d like you to see.” He opened the case and pulled out an iPad. “And I’ll warn you, it’s not pretty.”

  Sara bounced back on the bed, ready to feel him touch her again. He stood there, just staring. For one second, she felt self-conscious, but then the way he looked at her had her back to just wanting, needing to be touched. He stretched out beside her.

  His lips met hers, then those moist kisses moved to her neck. “What do you like? What do you want?” he asked. “You name it, and you got it.”

  She wrapped her hand around his sex. “I want this.”

  “You sure you don’t need a little more of this?” He ran his hand between her legs, slipping inside her tight opening. “Or this.” He took her nipple in his mouth. He suckled hard and it felt wonderful. She arched her back.

  Unable to bear it anymore, she pulled him up. “I need you inside me.”

  He grinned. “I like a woman who knows what she wants.”

  He put the condom on. When he rolled on top of her, she felt the cellophane still wrapped around his thigh.

  “Your leg’s not hurting, is it?” She pressed her hands on his chest.

  “No, but I’m gonna die if I don’t get inside you.” He adjusted his hips. His hardness pressed into her center. She raised her hips, and from the second she took him inside, it was heaven. He entered her slow. With each arch of his hips, he went deeper. Deeper until he filled every inch of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist. Wanting more. Wanting the dance and pace that would send her over the edge.

  He leaned up on one elbow and brushed her hair from her eyes. “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” She shifted her hips up. “You ready?”

  He moved faster. In and out. Deeper. The pressure built, the sweetness of wild passion, but with tenderness filling her every pore, then it burst into a rainbow of pleasure.

  He’d accomplished what he’d wanted. For her to come first. He moved faster until every muscle in his body clenched.

  The sounds of passion came from his throat.

  When he came, he didn’t fall on top of her—something that she hated that some men did—but he fell to her side and brought her with him. They stayed like that for several minutes, both trying to catch their breaths. Both holding on to each other.

  The silence in her bedroom grew awkward. One of them needed to say something, but what?

  That was good.

  Thank you.

  Let’s try that again.

  A dozen appropriate things whispered through her mind, but she wanted him to say it first. His arms held her. His heart raced beneath her hand.

  As the magnificent tingling faded, and the silence grew longer, reality set in. She’d slept with a man she hardly knew. Yet for some unknown reason it didn’t matter. She felt it. The connection. She buried her face in his shoulder and inhaled his scent—a little like fresh grass and earth. Closing her eyes, she swore she wouldn’t regret this.

  Roberto pulled away and leaped out of bed. He raked a hand through his hair and looked around the room. He finally glanced at her. What she saw in his eyes tore at her heart. She wouldn’t regret this, but he did.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was a mistake.”

  She didn’t say anything. All the wonderful she felt melted away like a Popsicle dropped on a hot Texas sidewalk.

  “Where are my clothes?” he asked.

  Her throat knotted. She pointed at the dresser. Snatching the clothes, he stormed into the bathroom. He came out seconds later, dressed and with his keys in his hands.

  Her heart clutched. She pushed up on her elbow. Why? she wanted to ask. Why was it a mistake? Then she remembered. He’d lost his wife.

  It had to be that, didn’t it? An uncomfortable feeling burrowed deep into Sara’s chest and brought tears to her eyes. Was she wrong to be jealous of his dead wife?

  “I’m sorry.” He tossed the words at her and walked out.

  “So am I.”

  When she heard her apartment door shut, she rolled over and cried.

  “Is it another video from Luis?” Leah asked Dallas.

  “No.” He powered up the box. “Look, I won’t pretend that what Austin did wasn’t wrong.”

  “That’s good,” Leah said. “Because some of it was illegal.”

  “That’s the reason we need to talk.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Austin calls it following his gut. Tyler and I call it stepping in shit.” He grinned. “But the crazy thing is, most of the time he comes out smelling like a rose. Tyler concluded he got away with so much because Austin does the wrong thing, for the right reason.”

/>   He looked at his iPad screen. “You know he was a cop?”

  She nodded.

  “Did he tell you we were framed for murder?”

  “Yeah. He also told me Rafael was behind it. I’ll tell you what I told him. I don’t know where Rafael is. I never have. And considering he’s trying to kill me and my brother, it’s clear we’re not what you’d call close.”

  He nodded. “Have you ever thought what it would be like to be accused of something you didn’t do? To have your peers believe the worst of you. To lose the woman you thought loved you because she”—he turned the iPad toward her—“believed you could do this.”

  The image looked like a scene from a horror flick. A lot of blood and two bodies. The woman almost decapitated.

  Leah blinked. “You didn’t have to show me that.”

  “Yes, I did. I wanted you to know how hard it was to believe that people we cared about thought we could do this. Sixteen months of our lives we spent in prison with this image flashing in our heads.”

  Her sinuses stung, but she refused to cry. “I told you, I don’t know where Rafael is.”

  He frowned. “Do I want your brother caught and punished for what he did to us? Hell, yes! But I didn’t come here about your half brother. I came for Austin.” He cut her a pointed look. “You have the ability to send Austin back to prison.”

  He closed his iPad. “At first I figured Austin took the risks due to the anger over what happened to us. But”—he studied her—“after seeing… the tomato battle, I think it’s more. I think he’d rather go back to prison than risk you getting killed.” He exhaled. “You realize that he could have walked away and let you and your brother die. So, before you talk to the police, remember what he risked… for you.”

  Leah swallowed. She knew this, but hearing it made it more real. Made her half brother even more of a monster.

  “I’m not going to the police. I never was. I know he saved my life, but I still have a right to be mad at him for… It’s infuriating.” Her voice shook.

  He grinned. “I’ve felt the same way about Austin a time or two.”

  They sat there without talking, the silence awkward. His earlier words tiptoed through her head. To lose the woman you thought loved you.